Italian luxury label Prada said it has taken a look to the past for its latest womenswear line at Milan Fashion Week, presenting a collection with contrasts and feminine touches.
Designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons kicked off the fall/winter 2024 womenswear show, dubbed "Instinctive Romance," with an all-black gown with ruffled embellishments.
The creative duo cut the dark wool skirts to reveal a white or floral silk layer under or behind them.
There were bomber jackets, coats reminiscent of 1950s silhouettes, and pencil-thin skirts worn with fitted knits.
"We strive to create something beautiful, and we can't talk about beauty without looking to the past," Simons said in the show notes. "In this complex moment, it is essential to know our history, to know who we are."
Overall, the designers opted for a slim silhouette: Some models wore buttoned-up shirts tucked into floor-length skirts in soft pale colors.
Sleeveless dresses were in cream or pink, with floral embellishments. Some of them had bows, an element that was also visible on the backs of some skirts and on belts with bows.
"We explored the idea of romance, which at the moment is perhaps still considered taboo, especially in fashion. The dresses in this collection reveal a sense of romance," said Miuccia Prada.
Prada is known for its leather goods and the models wore their handbags suspended from a strap at the bottom of their arms. The hats resembled wigs and some models wore sunglasses with small frames.
A selection of black looks rounded off the show, which featured decorations designed to look like stream and grass visible from a transparent catwalk.
Giorgio Armani also used a lot of black for his second Emporio Armani line.
Models wore all-black day and evening outfits, some of which glittered with silver or floral highlights.
He paired trousers with long shirts, offered a range of chic blazers and elegant coats, and soft, flowing ivory dresses with pink and blue prints.
Lunar and star elements adorned some outfits, including the black creations for the finale, where models with parasols walked under artificial falling snow.
"I wanted to be consistent in my beliefs about the clothes we wear. There are a few places that are a little over the top... but I feel like it's all very wearable," Armani told reporters.
Milan Fashion Week, which is one of four stops on the month-long catwalk calendar, runs until February 26. /BGNES